FRANKLIN—City Councilman Greg McLemore was fined $100 by the State Board of Elections last week because a brochure he passed out during the recent mayoral campaign lacked proper disclosure language.

A disclaimer on McLemore’s brochure stating the ad was paid for by “the candidate” failed to name him or his campaign committee and was therefore deemed illegal by the Board of Elections at a May 3 hearing, said Board of Elections Manager of Election Services Chris Piper.

The $100 fine was the maximum penalty the board could assess for a first-time offense that occurred more than two weeks prior to the May 1 election, Piper said.

McLemore said he was aware of the complaint but hadn’t been notified of the fine. He wouldn’t comment further.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of a fine,” McLemore said.

Piper said the board will consider three complaints against Mayor-elect Raystine Johnson’s campaign at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in House room C at the state Capitol.

One group of complaints filed by mayoral candidates Jim Councill and McLemore, Ward 1 council candidate Earl Blythe and Ward 6 Councilman Don Blythe stems from an advertisement that ran in The Tidewater News on April 22, 25 and 27.

The advertisement inferred that Councill, McLemore, Don Blythe and Earl Blythe were members of a “coalition.” The advertisement grouped Johnson, Ward 2 Councilman Benny Burgess, Ward 5 Councilwoman Mary Hilliard and Ward 1 Councilman Barry Cheatham in a different “coalition.”

The text under the photographs said “a uniter, not a divider” and listed the address of Johnson’s campaign website.

Earl Blythe ran unsuccessfully against Cheatham in Ward 1, and Johnson beat incumbent Councill and McLemore in the mayoral race.

The complaints contend that under state law, the ad should have disclosed that Earl Blythe, Councill and McLemore did not authorize it. Johnson’s campaign stood by the legality of the ad and published it again after the complaints were filed.

The other complaints against Johnson stem from a flier about a fish-fry fundraiser for her campaign. McLemore complained that the flier did not disclose who paid for it, as required by state law.